Surgical tacker with quantity indicator

Abstract

The invention relates to tacking devices for use in minimally invasive surgery that have a quantity indicator on a distal end that can be seen through a scope and that show a number of fasteners remaining in the device. A surgeon can watch the delivery of fasteners while simultaneously seeing f a number of fasteners remaining. This allows a hernia mesh to be properly fixed into place without going astray during the delicate initial placement procedure and also for even spacing of the fasteners on the mesh. The patient's post-operative recovery progresses well, and excessive pain is avoided. Methods of the invention include viewing the surgical site via the scope while also viewing the indicator via the scope.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical fastening device, comprising:
 a handle; 
 a trigger disposed on the handle; 
 an elongated cylindrical shaft defining an axis and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft connected at its proximal end to the handle; 
 a carrier portion disposed at a distal portion of the shaft; 
 a plurality of fasteners disposed within the carrier portion; 
 a fastener support slide disposed in the carrier portion and in contact with a fastener nearest the proximal end of the shaft, the fastener support slide being translatable along the axis in discrete positions, each position corresponding to a different number of the plurality of fasteners that remain within the carrier portion; 
 a visible marker disposed on a surface of the shaft and mechanically linked to the fastener support slide, the visible marker being translatable along the axis in discrete positions dependent on the position of the fastener support slide, each position corresponding to a different number of the plurality of fasteners that remain within the carrier portion; and 
 an indicator on the distal portion of the shaft that shows a number of the plurality of fasteners that remain within the carrier portion based on the position of the visible marker in relation to the indicator, wherein one operation of the trigger causes delivery of one of the plurality of fasteners out of the distal end of the shaft and translation of the fastener support slide and visible marker by one position along the axis, and wherein the delivery of the one of the plurality of the fasteners and the position of the visible marker in relation to the indicator can be seen simultaneously through an endoscope when the elongated shaft of fastening device is inserted into an abdominal cavity of a patient through a surgical trocar. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising graduations extending along the distal portion. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 2 , wherein the visible marker is configured to correspond to one of the graduations. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 3 , wherein the visible marker is offset from the graduations to compensate for parallax that arises when viewing the indicator through an endoscope. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier portion is a replaceable cartridge comprising the plurality of fasteners, the fastener support slide, the visible marker, and the indicator.